I used dELiA*s aspirationally when I was in college (when I first had the freedom to explore my tastes). I hoped that if I bought the clothes, I'd turn into a dELiA*s model. But then I realized I was too ethnic, too curvy (and I would have been even when I was sixteen), too tall, too old, and too poor. Also, the…

Heh—I still sometimes offer to lend my copy of Stop Walking on Eggshells to people and then remember that I gave it to someone I knew with a dBPD husband in 2003 (the book is more geared to spouses of than children of, so it was probably better off with her).

Oh, I bought that book right before my mother died, when I was 23 and it was way beyond my means! (Why is it still so freaking expensive?) I had it almost memorized. Then—irony!—my probably Narcissist/Borderline sister, the golden child of the family, stole it, though she wouldn't admit to doing so. But you're right—I…

Oh my, yes...I have a probably NPD/ASPD father and had a probably NPD/BPD mother, though they were high-functioning enough that I probably couldn't have moved out without consequences (like being found or else worse because they made sure I had no survival skills, and then being sent back). But I was at my friend's…

You put this perfectly. My "mother" (I call her my "other" on a related forum) was high-functioning and not directly physically abusive (her physical abuse was the kind that could be camouflaged with hard-to-notice neglect, like shaking, lack of medical attention, lack of appropriate clothing (clothing eight sizes too…

I love the concept of Cosplay hippies. When I was a freshman, I went to *ONE* Socialist Club meeting, and then the Cosplay Socialists, most of whom had BMWs, would not leave me alone for the next year.

There are also no GMOs in the customs union, as far as I know. (Yet.)

(But only in a strictly underwear sense because the customs union is not all that beneficial for the two smaller countries.)

As a cotton-underwear-wearing killjoy of Belarusian descent married to a Kazakh, I'm actually kind of OK with this. Rock on, customs union!

I for one am thrilled about this! I inadvertently went very low-gluten for three months when I was living abroad for a year in a Nordic country where they have rye as their go-to grain (yes, I know rye has gluten in it, but not as much). I lost thirty pounds in those three months and gained loads of energy that I'd…

I love that story! And I should have kept my outfit like you did. When I met Mr. Chortcake, I was wearing blue velvet bell bottoms (from a bazaar in Turkey), a red t-shirt that said "power girl" in Finnish, and a pink fake leather studded belt. I got rid of all three items (the first two because they shrank in the…

I'd just fled an engagement in Turkey with a violent sociopath (good times!), and was sitting on the beach in my hometown with my dad, and was telling him about how I was sure I'd never have a relationship again, but that was OK, because I'd only feel comfortable with someone who had a connection to Turkey but was not…

It's funny—I've always loved other people's baby pictures and kid updates too. :) You sound like a wonderful doula/future midwife; your clients will be lucky to have you!

Thanks! Motherhood itself is really cool—just today, my baby was learning how to play "catch" with me with one of his round blocks, rolling it back and forth across the floor. And we just learned that he likes citrus fruits—we put a little bit of orange and lemon in his mouth, and he puckers up his face, and then does…

AMEN. I have a seven-month-old baby and fucking HATE these bullshit waters. I have insufficient milk supply and big breasts (try getting stupid people to believe you about the former when you have the latter!) AND combo-feed in public. My postpartum depression occurred for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one was…

I love Mansfield Park! It's actually my favorite Austen novel. I'm also Team Elizabeth Garvie from the 1980's BBC Pride and Prejudice version 4-ever, because I think the Ehle/Firth one was too overwrought and I can't even with the Keira Knightley one.

I don't know whether that's the case or not, and all predominantly Muslim places have their own rules, but in the conservative area of Kazakhstan where my husband is from, it's too sexy to show knees, and hair is a little suspect for married women who don't need to refrain from wearing a scarf for work or something,…

As a combo feeder due to insufficient milk supply, that came across just fine to me! Also, formula gave us some peace and allowed me to sleep long enough to gain some sanity and bond with my baby.

At least they seem to be trying to fight it: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalcon…

I just saw this for the first time last week at age 35, and I love it and completely agree with you. Lilo and Stitch, where have you been all my life??! I especially love her photo gallery of tourists.